Car paint protection: the two-bucket method

It is cringe-worthy to recall cleaning cars with a single bucket and rinsing with the waste water. Little did we know that we had just covered the paintwork with all the dirt and grit we had worked so hard to wash off. No wonder we had so many swirl marks on our vehicles!

In a typical one bucket wash, as the name suggests, only one bucket is used for cleaning. This bucket contains a mixture of shampoo (Autodazzle Paint Cleanser) and water. After cleaning a few panels of the car and rinsing the wash mitt, it is not unusual to have dirt floating around in the bucket. Hence, dirt from the bucket can be transferred from wash mitt to paintwork. Fine scratches are formed when dirt from the wash mitt is dragged across the paint, causing paintwork to look dull.

Conversely, the two-bucket car wash method greatly improves washing efficiency and helps to reduce the possible damage caused by the use of a single bucket. Whether there is access to running water via a pressure washer, hose or not, professional detailers recommend using the two-bucket wash method. This method simply involves the use of two-buckets, one bucket containing a shampoo-water mixture (wash bucket) and the other containing clean water (rinse bucket).

Give vehicle a rinse to loosen dirt and wet the paintwork. Next, soak wash mitt in wash bucket and clean the vehicle in linear motions. Before putting wash mitt back into the wash solution, rinse out in the rinse bucket. Rinsing in clean water removes dirt and grit from the mitt to avoid scratching paintwork. Repeat the wash process on all panels and rinse thoroughly with clean water. Dry with a clean Microfibre Cloth and use Autodazzle Quick Shine to restore a deep, wet gloss on the vehicle.

Pro Tip

• Pass the wash mitt along the paintwork gently. Heavy pressure is unnecessary as foam from Autodazzle Paint Cleanser loosens and lifts off dirt from paintwork.
• Use a grit guard for extra protection from dirt and grit.
• Click here for our simple 4-step car exterior cleaning tutorial.

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